No. 78 Squadron IAF explained

Unit Name:	No. 78 Squadron
Dates:	March 2003- Present^[1]
Country:	India
Role:	Aerial refueling
Garrison:	Agra AFS
Nickname:	"Battle-cry"^[2]
Motto:	?
Aircraft Transport:	Il-78 MKI

No. 78 Squadron is located at Agra AFS under Central Air Command. The IL-78s, which refuel at the rate of 500–600 litres a minute, can ferry up to 118 tonnes of fuel, and can simultaneously fill three air-borne fighter aircraft, and allowing the fighters to carry more pay load and penetrate deep into the enemy territories.^[2]

History

The No. 78 Squadron were raised in 2003 with Il-78 MKI Aircraft at Agra and moved to the present location. MARS stand for 'Mid Air Refueling Squadron'^[3]

Lineage

• Constituted as No. 78 Squadron (Battle-cry) in 2003^[4]

Aircraft

• Il-78

Notes and References

1. Web site: IAF gets air to air refueller. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208044755/http://icast.org.in/news/2003/mar03/mar04ia.html. usurped. 8 December 2015. icast.org.in. 30 July 2017.
2. Web site: National : MARS extends global reach of Indian Air Force. The Hindu. 2004-09-26. 30 July 2017.
3. Web site: ..:: India Strategic ::.. Indian Air Force: The Bravehearts who Launced IAF’s Strategic Airlift Capability. Indiastrategic.in. 30 July 2017.
4. Web site: Squadrons and Helicopter Units . 23 November 2015 . Bharat Rakshak.